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Due to holidays, ATol will next upload on
Monday, November 30.
India
lays to rest a Bush-era ghost
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh failed to realize the main objective of
his visit to the United States - the "operationalization" of the US-India
civilian nuclear deal. India and the US were more successful in other areas,
including on defense cooperation. But the most important outcome from Delhi's
perspective is a jettisoning of false hopes and expectations raised in the
George W Bush era that do not match the US's declining power and influence. - M
K Bhadrakumar (Nov 25, '09)
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 SINOGRAPH
China takes a new
look at Marxism
Beijing is promoting that the Communist Party should build a "study model
of Marxism". Coupled with the visit by a senior party official to Taiwan to
discuss - for the first time ever - political models, the signs are clear that
China is reforming its own system. - Francesco Sisci (Nov
25, '09)
US headache over Afghan deserters
According to data published by the US Defense Department, one in every four
combat soldiers quit the Afghan National Army during the year ending in
September. This high desertion rate not only flies in the face of US officials'
long-time praise for the army as a success story - it is also very bad news for
US President Barack Obama's latest Afghan strategy. - Gareth Porter
(Nov 25, '09)
From stability to chaos in
Indonesia
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's vague response to an alleged
attempt to take down a popular anti-corruption body raises fears of a return to
Suharto-era impunity for top-level officials. Yudhoyono's belated reaction also
leaves unanswered questions about his own possible involvement in the alleged
plot. - Patrick Guntensperger (Nov 25, '09)
Obamas were sorely missed in Asia
First Lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Sasha and Malia, not joining United
States President Barack Obama's swing through Asia may have been a mistake.
While Obama's town-hall session broke new ground, the beguiling sight of the
first family mingling and shopping in downtown Shanghai, Tokyo or Singapore
would have been a better boost for the US's image and economy. - Peter J Brown
(Nov 25, '09)
Electoral mud flies in the
Philippines
The fists are already flying in the lead-up to next year's Philippine
presidential vote. According to opinion polls, popularity is now on the side of
49-year-old opposition Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino. His rivals aren't
giving up that easily though, and have already dug up a number of controversial
claims - including autism. - Al Labita (Nov
25, '09)
 BOOK
REVIEW
Cutting through
the talk
Negotiating With Iran
by John W Limbert
The author, the Barack Obama administration's newly-appointed point man on
Iran, shares a wealth of insights and recommendations in the cognitive map of
Iranian negotiators. A major fault of the book is an inadequate exploration of
Iran's own strategic outlook. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Nov 25, '09)
Rusal's
crossroads - Russia, Libya or China
Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, international creditor banks and the Kremlin
should know this week if shares of his debt-burdened United Company Rusal can
be listed in the Chinese special region of Hong Kong. Closely watching are
Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, a potential investor; the government of Guinea, source
of much of Rusal's raw supplies; and China - which recognizes in Guinea a
source of a much-needed product if Rusal is out of the way. - John Helmer
(Nov 24, '09)
Bernanke's neck on the line
Critics of the US Federal Reserve are growing in number and volume as normal
folk see little of the vast amounts of money it dispenses going into their
pockets. That, and Congressman Ron Paul's move to have the Fed's books opened
for audit, may cause more than severe discomfort for chairman Ben Bernanke at
his renomination hearings. - Julian Delasantellis
(Nov 24, '09)
Pakistan's
military stays a march ahead
An ordinance that granted amnesty to a number of top Pakistani politicians,
including President Asif Ali Zardari, expires in a few days. The military is
preparing for the fallout, just as it is already in contact with leading
players in the insurgency in Afghanistan to position itself ahead of
anticipated developments there. - Syed Saleem Shahzad
(Nov 24, '09)
Arroyo's failures seen in
massacre
The massacre of at least 39 people on the Philippines' restive island of
Mindanao brutally highlights outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's
failure to stem political violence in provincial areas. The military has blamed
the savage attack - which targeted a politician challenging an Arroyo ally - on
the local police force, paramilitary forces and politicians. - Al Labita
(Nov 24, '09)
Manmohan has the last laugh
The Sikh ethnic minority to which India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh belongs
is the butt of numerous jokes in India, but his electoral success - built on
economic and foreign policy achievements - has left opponents searching for a
punchline. As he enjoys Tuesday's state dinner at the White House, Manmohan can
reflect on the remarkable journey that has brought him and his country to this
point. - Raja Murthy (Nov 24, '09)
 CHAN
AKYA
Hollywood, the macabre
The latest and most popular releases from Hollywood present disturbing
vignettes of where the West in general and the United States in particular are
headed. Teenage vampires in New Moon represent the age-old quest for
immortality, even as 2012 plays truant with Armageddon. Both represent a
grudging acceptance, if not adulation, for unattainable elite status.
(Nov 24, '09)
In China, an easy route to academic glory
China produces the highest number of PhD graduates in the world annually, but
many fear the number is vastly inflated by officials who - seeking rapid
promotion - have paid universities for the prestigious qualification without
doing any work. - Stephen Wong (Nov 24, '09)
 SPENGLER
When the cat's away ...
With the cat in semi-retirement, the mice are not only playing, but growing to
cat-like stature. From Iran, Turkey, Palestine, Afghanistan, Pakistan and
Russia, the Barack Obama administration so far has shown no action except
lockjaw; the great decisions of the world are being taken outside Washington.
(Nov 23, '09)
Anti-terror ties
bridge US-India gap
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is visiting Washington
amid concern in his country over the Barack Obama administration's
perceived closeness to China. As the first anniversary of the Mumbai attack
approaches, the US will likely reassure India by stressing the importance of
ensuring South Asian security through cooperation in anti-terror efforts, in
Afghanistan - and potentially through nuclear and defense deals. - Peter J Brown
(Nov 23, '09)
Obama returns focus to the Middle
East
With his East Asia tour out of the way, US President Barack Obama must now
confront the growing problems in the Middle East. Top among these are Israel's
approval last week of the construction of 900 housing units in an East
Jerusalem Palestinian neighborhood, dealing a perhaps fatal blow to the Oslo
framework that has guided the Israeli-Palestinian "peace process" since 1993. - Jim
Lobe (Nov 23, '09)
Power struggle behind revival of Maoism
As with many political trends in China, the revival in the popularity of Mao
Zedong's ultra-conservative norms is related to jockeying for position
between two major Communist Party cliques. Implicit in the statues of Mao being
erected and references to his works is criticism of the policies of the leaders
by elements who want a shift towards doctrinaire socialist values and away from
free-market precepts. - Willy Lam (Nov 23,
'09)
Shift towards more sanctions on
Iran
While Iran is engaged in its biggest-ever military exercises, including tests
of its air defense system, the nations dealing with Tehran's nuclear program
are undergoing a significant shift, from dialogue towards more - and much
tougher - sanctions. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Nov
23, '09)
Afghan forces fight an enemy within
A deadly attack on British soldiers by a militant who had infiltrated the
Afghan National Police highlights Afghanistan's poor army and police
application processes. All it takes to join is an easily forged identity card
and one working leg. - Lal Aqa Sherin (Nov
23, '09)
The elephant in India and Iran's
room
Try as India and Iran may to halt the downward slide in their
relations, cooperation in the all-important energy sector remains stuck in a
rut. Negotiations between the two countries during the recent visit of Iran's
foreign minister made "good progress", though apprehension over
drawing American ire ultimately stands in India's way. - Sudha Ramachandran
(Nov 20, '09)
US's dalliance in Beijing is
short-lived
In a joint statement, United States President Barack Obama and Chinese
President Hu Jintao this week pledged to "strengthen communication, dialogue
and cooperation on issues related to South Asia". It took Washington a matter
of hours to start backtracking; any enterprise to mount ill-fated Sino-American
ventures in this region could seriously disrupt American business interests. - M
K Bhadrakumar (Nov 20, '09)
Iraqi elections thrown off track
Vice President Tarek al-Hashemi, by using his veto to block an important
election law, has thrown Iraq once again into political crisis. Parliament will
have to try to sort out the mess the Sunni politician has made if elections are
to go ahead in January. The scheduled draw-down of United States troops is also
now in doubt. - Sami Moubayed (Nov 20, '09)
A town with a tale to tell
The more  elderly
inhabitants of Tawang, the town plumb in the heart of disputed territory
between India and China, have lived under four national flags - British,
Tibetan, Chinese and Indian. These indigenous people, the Monpas, have strong
views on which country they believe would now best serve their interests. - Saransh
Sehgal (Nov 20, '09)
Nuclear fallout rocks Pakistan
Reports of the United States attempting to take an active role in helping
safeguard Pakistan's nuclear arsenal could not have come at a worse time for
President Asif Ali Zardari. He is already marginalized by his military, now his
political opponents - including revitalized former president Pervez Musharraf -
see a weakness. A crucial showdown is due next month, precisely the time
the Pakistani Taliban plan their own fireworks. - Syed Saleem Shahzad
(Nov 19, '09)
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David P
Goldman
(Nov 18, '09)
The crystal-meth monetary policy at the Fed makes everyone feel better, until
they don't ...
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Brazil
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's warm embrace of visiting Iranian
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said it all - this is how to make progress
between countries. And as Lula made clear his support of Iran's stance over
nuclear power, business leaders were adding depth to the warming relations. - Pepe
Escobar
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